Spring motor operated rocking doll



Feb. 9, 1954 J. H. WILLIAMS 2,668,392

SPRING MOTOR OPERATED ROCKING DOLL Filed Aug. 31, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 John H. Williams r I B] Feb. 9, 1954 J. H. WILLIAMS 2,668,392

SPRING MOTOR OPERATED ROCKING DOLL Filed Aug. 31, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I n ventor John H. Williams Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING MOTOR OPERATED ROCKING DOLL John H. Williams, San Francisco, Calif. Application August 31, 1950, Serial No. 182,485

12 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvement in toys and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a spring-actuated oscillatory doll that may be mounted upon a stationary base or upon a toy vehicle.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical doll including a vertically swingable hollow body having a spring motor mounted therein and so arranged as to impart oscillatory motion to the body.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a mechanical doll detachably supported by a vehicle and so connected to the driving axle of the vehicle as to impart motion to the vehicle as the body is oscillated.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vertically swinging spring-operated body mounted upon an imitation seesaw and pivotally connected to uprights supporting the seesaw so that as the body swings vertically it will impart swinging motion to the seesaw.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a mechanical doll that is extremely neat and attractive in appearance, strong and reliable in use, commercially practical, inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the present invention mounted upon a seesaw;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the invention mounted on a toy vehicle; and

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the vehicle and taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral It represents a support or base including a pair of side members l2 and N that are provided with registering openings for rotating the ends of a horizontal pivot shaft it. A hollow body I8 is mounted on the shaft I6 for vertical swinging movement and is located between the side members l2 and 14. The body l8 rotatably supports a horizontal rod 2|] having an offset 22 that is slidably and rotatably positioned in the vertical slot 24 in an arm 26 rising from the base I 0 and mounted in the body [8. A bracket 28, within the body 18, constitutes a bearing for the rod 20, since it rotatably supports the rod 20.

A second horizontal pivot shaft so extends through the upper portion of the body and parallels the pivot shaft It. The ends of the shaft 30 project outwardly from the fiat sides of the body l8 and support the inner ends 32 of bellcranks 34. The bellcranks 34 are in the form of arms and are suitably colored to add to the attractiveness of the toy.

The side members I2 are in the form of legs and include depending extensions 36 terminating in feet 38. The side members l2, including the extensions or lower limbs 38 and feet 38, are also suitably colored or painted. A neck-forminglug 40 is secured to and rises from the upper end of the body l8 and its upper end is suitably fixed in a recess 42 formed in a ball-like head 44. The head 44 is provided with ears, hair, eyes, a nose and a mouth which may be painted on or suitably secured to the head by glue or the like.

A main support or base 46 underlies the toy doll and supports a pair of uprights 38 whose upper ends are provided with registering apertures through which a, horizontal shaft or pin 58 is extended. The ends of the pin 55 project outwardly from the sides of the uprights 48 and. through the outer ends 52 of the bellcranks 34.

A vertically swingable member or seesaw 5d extends between the uprights 48 and overlies the base 46. Lateral projections 56 are provided at the central portion of the member E i and ahorizontal rod or pivot 58 extends through the projections 56, the member 54 and the uprights .48

to permit vertical swinging movement of the member 54. The base In of the doll overlies one end of the member 513 and is releasably held thereon by a channel-shaped clip or bracket Gil and a suitable object or toy dog 52 is suitably secured to the other end of the member 5a.

A spring motor St is mounted Within the hollow body I8 for rotating the shaft 252 so that oscillatory motion will be imparted to the body i8 about the shaft 16 as a pivot. Although various arrangements of the spring motor may be employed, it is preferred that the motor be mounted on the shaft [6 and that the motor consist of a drum 66 .iournaled on the shaft 45 with a coil spring 58 about the drum and having one 3 end secured to the drum and its other end secured to a plate II! that is keyed on the shaft I 6. One end of the shaft I6 is bent to form a finger grip 72 that is disposed esteriorly of the body I8.

Another horizontal shaft '14 is rotatably supported by the body I8 and bracket 23 and carries a pinion I6 and a gear 18. The gear l8 meshes with a pinion 88 secured on the shaft 29 and another pinion 82 that is rotatable on the shaft 16 and which is secured to the drum 6E3. The shaft 20 also supports a gear 8 that meshes with the pinion '16. Through this construction, the shaft will be rotated by the spring motor at a relatively slow speed.

In practical use of the invention, the body I8 is manually held against movement on the pivot l6 and the shaft I6 is rotated, by the grip 12, to tighten the spring '58 which will remain wound, since the body I8 is held against swinging. When the body I8 is released, the spring 88 will unwind and in so doing will rotate the rod 28, through the gear and pinion arrangement, whereupon the crank portion or offset 22 will rotate and slide in slot 24 to oscillate the body 58 about the pivot I6 as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3.

As the body l8 swings relatively to the uprights 48, the member 5-: will rock down and up.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the doll mounted upon a toy vehicle Hill having a seat construction Hi2 on which the base If, is supported. The seat construction I02 is resilient and its back te l is formed with a detent I96 that will engage over the base ID. The forward portion of the seat construction I92 is formed with a tongue its having a detent I Ill that will snap over the base ID to hold the doll on the seat construction of the vehicle I00.

The vehicle It!) includes forward and rear axles H2 and H4 supporting wheels H5 and the rear axle I I4 is bent to form a crank portion H8.

A horizontal pivot IE8 is carried by the vehicle. The pivot I20 parallels the axles I I2 and iii, and is located between the axles H2 and I54. The pivot I29 extends through the apex of a bellcrank lever I22 whose lower end is formed with an elongated slot I2 3 that slidably and rotatably receives the crank portion I I8.

The upper end of the lever I22 supports a horizontal shaft I26 whose ends extend through the outer ends 52 of the bellcranks 34. The vehicle I00 is formed with a longitudinal slot 23 that slidably receives the lever I22.

The doll mounted in the vehicle, as shown in Figure 4, is identical to the doll specifically described for Figures 1-3, inclusive, and as the body l8 swings back and forth about its pivot G2, the lever I22 will also rock back and forth to rotate the shaft H4 counter-clockwise and thereby impart forward motion to the vehicle, it being understood that the slot I24 and crank portion i 58 are so proportioned with respect to each other and with the size of the lever I 22 and the arc of swing for the body is to permit the axle Us to rotate counter-clockwise.

Although the toy described, more specifically the doll, has been illustrated in conjunction with a seesaw and a toy vehicle, it is obvious that the doll may be employed in conjunction with many other such toy structures to cause various motions as the body l8 oscillates.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it

believed that a clear understanding of the device-will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and within the scope of the a pended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mechanical doll comprising a support, a spring tensioned pivot shaft carried by said support, a body swingably mounted on said shaft, means operatively connecting said shaft to said body and said support for oscillating the body about the shaft as a pivot, a second pivot shaft carried by the body and paralleling the firstnamed shaft, a lever on said second shaft, and a member engaging said lever to support said body during oscillation of said body, said body oscillating means including a rotary shaft carried by said body and having an offset, a post forming a part of said support and extending into the body, said post having a slot disposed laterally of the pivot shaft receiving said offset.

2. A mechanical doll comprising a base, a spring tensioned pivot shaft carried by said base, a body mounted on said shaft for oscillation, said base including a post extending upwardly into the body and having a slot disposed laterally of said shaft, said shaft extending through and being rotatably supported by said post, a bar paralleling the shaft and rotatably supported by said body and having an offset slidably and rotatably mounted in said slot, and means operatively connecting said bar to said shaft for rotating the bar to oscillate the body.

3. A mechanical doll comprising a base, a ivot shaft carried by said base, a body mounted on said shaft for oscillation, said base including a post having a slot disposed laterally of said shaft, a bar paralleling the shaft and rotatably supported by said body and having an offset slidably and rotatably mounted in said slot, and means operatively connected to said bar for rotating the bar to oscillate the body, said body being hollow, and said means including a spring motor mounted within the body and on said shaft.

4. A mechanical doll comprising a base, a spring tensioned pivot shaft carried by said base, a body mounted on said shaft for oscillation, said base including a post having a slot disposed laterally of said shaft, a first bar paralleling the shaft and rotatably supported by said body and having an offset slidably and rotatably mounted in said slot, and means operatively connecting said shaft to said bar for rotating the bar to oscillate the body, a second bar rotatably supported by said body and paralleling the first-named bar and the shaft, a pinion on each bar and said shaft, a gear carried by the second bar engaging the pinions on the shaft and the first-named bar, and a second gear on the first bar and engaging the pinion on the second bar.

5. A mechanical doll comprising a base including a pair of side members, a shaft carried by said side members, a hollow body mounted on said shaft and between said side members for swinging movement, an arm supported on said base within said body and having an elongated slot disposed laterally of said shaft, a rod rotatably supported by said body .and paralleling the shaft, said rod having an offset slidably and rotatably received in said slot, power means within said body and supported on and connected to said shaft for rotating the latter, and means operatively connecting said shaft to said rod for rotation of the latter during rotation of the former.

6. A mechanical toy comprising a main support, an elongated vertically swingable member mounted on said support, an auxiliary support carried by one end of said member, a pivot shaft carried by said auxiliary support, a body mounted on said shaft for swinging movement, a rod paralleling said shaft and rotatably supported by said body and having an offset, an arm mounted on said auxiliary support and having a slot disposed laterally of said shaft and slidably and rotatably receiving said offset, means for rotating said rod to impart oscillation to said body, and a lever terminally pivoted to said body and said main support.

7. A mechanical toy comprising a main support, an elongated vertically swingable member mounted on said support, an auxiliary support carried by one end of said member, an object carried by the other end of said member, a pivot shaft carried by said auxiliary support, a body mounted on said shaft for swinging movement, a rod paralleling said shaft and rotatably supported by said body and having an offset, an arm mounted on said auxiliary support and having a slot disposed laterally of said shaft and slidably and rotatably receiving said offset, means for rotating said rod to impart oscillation to said body, a second rod carried by said body and paralleling said shaft, a pair of bellcranks carried by said second rod, and a pivot pin paralleling the second rod and supported by said main support and attached to said bellcranks.

8. A mechanical toy comprising a main support, an elongated vertically swingable member mounted on said support, an auxiliary support carried by one end of said member, a pivot shaft carried by said auxiliary support, a body mounted on said shaft for swinging movement, a rod paralleling said shaft and rotatably supported by said body and having an offset, an arm mounted on said auxiliary support and having a slot disposed laterally of said shaft and slidably and rotatably receiving said offset, means for rotating said rod to impart oscillation to said body, a second rod carried by said body and paralleling said shaft, a pair of bellcranks carried by said second rod, and a pivot pin paralleling the second rod and supported by said main support and attached to said bellcranks, said body being hollow, said means including a spring motor connected to said shaft and gear means operatively connecting said shaft to said first-named rod.

9. A mechanical toy comprising a support having forward and rear axles and wheels on each axle, said rear axle having a crank portion, a vertically swingable bellcrank lever carried by said support and including a portion having a slot receiving the crank portion to impart rotation to the rear axle upon vertical swinging movement of the lever, a base mounted on said support, a horizontal pivot carried by the base, a body mounted on said pivot for swinging movement, an arm rising from the base and including a vertical slot, a horizontal rod rotatably supported by said body and including an offset rotatably and slidably received in said slot, a horizontal pivot shaft carried by said body, at least one lever connecting said bellcrank lever to said pivot shaft, and means operatively connected to said rod for rotating the latter.

10. A seesaw toy comprising a main support including a pair of uprights, an elongated vertically swingable member centrally pivoted between the uprights, a weight on one end of the member, an auxiliary support at the other end of said member, a horizontal shaft carried by the auxiliary support, a body mounted on said shaft for vertical swinging movement toward and away from the uprights, an upper horizontal shaft carried by the body, a horizontal rod carried by the uprights above the member and paralleling said upper shaft, a pair of bellcranks terminally attached to said upper shaft and said rod, and means operatively connected to the body to impart swinging movement to the body, said body being moved relatively to the uprights to permit raising of the end of the member on which the body is supported and said body being moved relatively to the uprights to permit lowering of the end of the member on which the body is supported.

11. The combination of claim 10 and means releasably securing said auxiliary support on said member.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said means releasably securing said auxiliary support on said member comprises a channel shaped clip receiving one end of said member, said auxiliary support including a base having side edges, said clip including spaced flanges engaged with the side edges of said base and retaining the base against the member.

JOHN H. WILLIAMS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 921,258 Kingsbury May 11, 1909 1,247,115 Howe Nov. 20, 1917 1,429,289 Maxwell et al Sept. 19, 1922 1,477,412 Adams Dec. 11, 1923 1,674,943 Berger June 23, 1928 1,923,801 Slagle Aug. 22, 1933 2,066,736 Muse Jan. 5, 1937 

